Pope Pius XI issued a decree Omnia Quæ Catholicæ as the Apostolic Vicariate of Shanghai on 25 April 1933.

Pope Pius XII raised the vicariate to the rank of diocese via his Pontifical decree Quotidie Nos on 11 April 1946.

The diocese's mother church and thus seat of its bishop is Saint Ignatius Cathedral; it also houses a minor basilica in Sheshan.

In a surprising move, Ma announced during his ordination Mass that he would be resigning from his posts within the CPCA effective immediately.

The next day, government officials placed him under house arrest at the Sheshan Seminary and the CPCA stripped him of his title as coadjutor bishop in December 2012.